Duke's Mike Krzyzewski is currently tied with Bobby Knight for the most wins in NCAA Division I basketball. (Photo by Sara D. Davis/Getty Images)

Winter Park native Austin Rivers could be a part of NCAA men’s basketball history tonight. Rivers, son of Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers, will try to help his coach become the all-time winningest coach in men’s college basketball history.

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski is just one win shy of setting a new Division I college men’s basketball record for wins at 903 as the Blue Devils take on Michigan State tonight. Currently, Coach K is tied with his mentor Bobby Knight at 902 victories.

ESPN will broadcast the game slated for a 7 p.m. start at Madison Square Garden.

Now that we know the NBA lockout has potential to last for the entire 2011-12 season, it’s nice to know sports fans won’t be completely deprived of their basketball.

Boston Celtics (1957-69) Red Auerbach, right, pictured with Bill Russell, lit up numerous victory cigars as his team rolled through the NBA for 11championships in 13 seasons

The fight against the NCAA on behalf of former athletes just got a lot more interesting.

Bloomberg is reporting that Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell is suing the NCAA for denying student-athletes (current and former) from receiving compensation for the commercial use of their likeness and image.

Electronic Arts Inc., the second-largest U.S. video game maker, is also named as a defendant in the lawsuit. Russell, who led the University of San Francisco to two championships in 1955 and 1956, accuses it of using his image in a “Tournament of Legends” feature on an NCAA basketball video game, the report says.

The New York Times first reported the former UCLA basketball star Ed O’Bannon filed a class action lawsuit against the NCAA for antitrust violations last March.

Russell’s involvement offers a huge support to O’Bannon and organizations like the National College Players Association who have been fighting and positioning the NCAA for financial compensation to college athletes.

Outside of his basketball accomplishments, 77-year-old Russell has been long respected as an activist and voice for social change. He was awarded with the 2011 Presidential Medal of Honor.

Delonte West of the Cleveland Cavaliers fights to keep control of the ball against Rajon Rondo of the Boston Celtics during Game Five of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2008 NBA Playoffs n Boston. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

The industry of furniture sales just got infinitely more popular thanks for NBA guard Delonte West.

West tweeted his 6,000-plus followers @CharleeRedz13 that he was the proud new employee for Regency Furniture Showcase, a furniture chain on the East Coast. It’s important to note that West previously applied for a job at Home Depot in August in light of the fact that he cannot play basketball overseas to his previous legal problems according to the Huffington Post. West also told TrueHoops that applied for a job at Sam’s Club in August.

“I actually might have work with Sam’s (Club), BJ’s, selling knives,” said West, who has been diagnosed with bi-polar disorder. “That’s pretty cool too. I get a microphone and everything.”

Does that quote make anybody nervous?

Delonte West, also known for his alleged tryst with LeBron James mother Gloria James, has made no secret about his money troubles via his twitter account in light of the NBA lockout. Basketballreference.com cites West’s career earnings at $14,093,519 since joining the league in 2004. His largest single season payout came from the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2009-10 season where he made just over $4 million.

In stark contrast, Philadelphis 76ers guard Andre Iguodala shadowed a venture capitalist and visited the New York Stock Exchange as part of a week-long internship with Bank of America Merrill Lynch according to Yahoo! Sports NBA senior writer Marc Spears.

There’s nothing wrong with good, honest work. Thousands of men and women across America provide valuable services to us at furniture stores and at Home Depot chains. I’m guessing less than one percent of those men and women came from million-dollar plus careers.

If NBA commissioner David Stern has a heart, he’ll strongly consider not cancelling the NBA season out of sheer pity for Delonte West.

Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet, stands on the grid during qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series SHOWTIME Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on May 6, 2011 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

E-Poll and Nielsen Media Research polled 1,000 people about which athletes they found to be most influential, taking their likeability, talent, endorsements and media attention into consideration. The article says due to the lack of interest in Olympic athletes and with the slumping reputations of Lance Armstrong and Tiger Woods, NASCAR drivers jumped to the top of the list.

Of the top 10 influential athletes, three are NASCAR drivers including the No. 1 most influential athlete Jimmie Johnson.

Tiger Woods, who has previously been on the list, didn’t make the cut this year due largely to his nasty divorce from Elin Woods.

And while the Miami Heat are beating the Boston Celtics on the court, Shaquille O’Neal is still winning the popularity contest off the court as he ranked higher on the influence scale than LeBron James.

Here’s the top 10 list.

1. Jimmie Johnson

2.Tom Brady

3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

4. Shaquille O’Neal

5. Michael Phelps

6. Troy Polamalu

7. Peyton Manning

8. Jeff Gordon

9. LeBron James

10. Tim Tebow

Clearly, no one from Orlando was polled given Shaquille O’Neal’s high ranking. Do you agree with this list? Who got left off and who shouldn’t be on?

Miami Heat forward LeBron James gestures to teammates against the Boston Celtics during the second half of Game 3 of their NBA Eastern Conference playoff series in Boston, Massachusetts May 7, 2011. REUTERS/Adam Hunger

Miami Heat stars Dwyane Wade and LeBron James have surely fielded their share of questionable questions, but one reporter’s question after their Game 3 loss in the NBA playoffs rubbed LeBron James the wrong way.

The reporter asked Dwayne Wade about his response to people who thought his play was dirty, referring to the third quarter takedown of Boston Celtics guard Rajon Rondo resulting in a dislocated elbow.

Despite covering his mouth with his hands, LeBron James can clearly be heard saying under his breath “retarded.” It appears James directed the word at the reporter’s question.

So what do you think sports fans? Was Dwyane Wade’s takedown of Rajon Rondo a dirty play or a freak accident?

For those of you who missed the Rajon Rondo elbow injury, check out this video that captures the amazing comeback for the Boston Celtics’ tough guard.

Shaquille O'Neal talks to teammate Ray Allen on the bench during the first quarter of Game 1 of their NBA Eastern Conference playoff series against the New York Knicks in Boston April 17, 2011. REUTERS/Brian Snyder

One word for Jesus ShuttlesworthRay Allen — awesome.

Like a reliable car, the Boston Celtics can always depend on Ray Allen to get them where they need to go. And for the Celtics, that meant a game-winning three point shot to seal a 87-85 Game 1 win against the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference first round playoffs.

You’ll remember Ray Allen broke Reggie Miller’s NBA record for most 3-pointers made in February against the Los Angeles Lakers making his 2,561st 3-pointer.

It’s been said Shaquille O’Neal is key for the Boston Celtics to defeat the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference playoffs, but perhaps, the Celtics real clutch man is still Ray Allen.

Jimmer Fredette of BYU receives the 2011 Naismith Trophy Presented by AT&T from David Christopher of AT&T during the NABC Guardians of the Game Awards Program on April 3, 2011 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)

Forget Jimmer Fredette for a moment. Meet his dad, Al Fredette.

The poststar.com reported this gem of an article recently about Jimmer Fredette doing all his school work for BYU online because he’s become too famous and in the process collected some great quotes from Fredette’s father Al.

In one part of the story, the Fredettes spoke about the financial offers pouring in for their famous son, including an offer to compete in a celebrity golf tournament.

“They told him not to worry about it, that they would pair him with (former NBA star and now television commentator) Charles Barkley,” said Al Fredette. “Apparently, Charles can’t play at all.”

You have to love the unintentional jab at Charles Barkley.

Al Fredette is a financial planner and will handle Jimmer Fredette’s projected millions after the NBA draft, should the league avoid a lockout, of course. He told the paper they’d like to see their son compete for the Boston Celtics, but they’ve “got Rajon Rondo” so maybe the Utah Jazz would be a good fit.

“He should never have to worry about making a living for the rest of his life,” said Al Fredette. “If his career blows up, there could be foundations and stuff and he could really help a lot of people and he has some ideas about that.”

To be honest, the story reads like the Fredettes are drinking a little too much of the fame juice.

I’m having a hard time buying that Jimmer Fredette is too “cool for school” bit. Doesn’t that violate some sort of BYU integrity clause?

Far bigger athletic programs like Texas, USC and Florida have had college stars attend classes. Put it this way, if Tim Tebow could win championships, get up everyday for 5 a.m. workouts, speak at prisons, do missionary work in the Phillipines and still make going to class and tutoring sessions a priority, then Jimmer Fredette gets no pass from me.

Orlando center Dwight Howard (12) drives against Milwaukee forward Luc Mbah a Moute (12) during the first half of the Magic's game against the Bucks in an NBA basketball game at Amway Center in Orlando, Fla. Tuesday, April 5, 2010. (Gary W. Green/staff photographer)

If you watch ESPN’s popular debate show, 1st and 10, then you probably have a good idea that ESPN pundit Rob Parker has been a big believer in the Orlando Magic.

Kendrick Perkins was traded from the Boston Celtics to the Oklahoma City Thunder (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Charles Barkley might be singing “I may be wrong” soon.

After one of the busiest NBA trade deadlines in history, the Boston Celtics traded away one of the critical pieces to its 2008 NBA championship team in big man Kendrick Perkins. Kendrick Perkins and spark plug Nate Robinson were dealt to the Oklahoma City Thunder and got Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic in return.

The Orlando Magic will play the new and likely improved young Thunder Friday at the Amway Center.

During the NBA pre-game show on TNT, host Ernie Johnson asked his panel of experts, including David Aldridge, Kevin McHale, Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley about the trades and Barkley had this response in regards to the Kendrick Perkins trade.

“I think I was very surprised, but you know what? It was a good trade for the Celtics considering if they wasn’t going to be able to resign the guy,” TNT analyst Charles Barkley said. “And if you look at, they only need Perkins against the Lakers if they get to the finals. They gonna have a tougher time getting through Chicago and Miami. Perkins wouldn’t have been a real big factor in that series. So if you’re gonna lose a guy…they got the best deal they could under the circumstances.”

Kenny Smith and David Aldridge disagreed saying the Celtics potentially traded away a chance at winning an NBA championship.

“I’m not so sure I agree with that,” Aldridge said in response to Barkley’s perspective. “This is not a young team, this is an old team. An old team with limited chances to win an NBA championship. They don’t have a window of about 8 years, they have a window of about two years. Kendrick Perkins helps them win a championship, he helped them win one in ‘08. Maybe they couldn’t have signed him, but deal with that in July after you win a championship.”

Orlando Magic General Manager Otis Smith announces that they have retained shooting guard J.J. Redick and most likely will not resign forward Matt Barnes during a press conference at RDV Sportsplex in Maitland, FL Friday, July 16, 2010. (Gary W. Green/Orlando Sentinel)

Otis Smith should be feeling the universal love these days for engineering the Orlando Magic’s blockbuster trade in December.

During TNT’s halftime report in the Orlando Magic-Boston Celtics game, Charles Barkley gave the Magic a glowing endorsement of its offense, particularly Dwight Howard and Ryan Anderson.

“This is why I love the trade in Orlando,” Charles Barkley said. “They got more weapons offensively, I think, than any team in the NBA. They got a bunch of guys who can score. You have to take your hat off to Otis Smith, they have a chance now.”

But it’s the Magic’s defense that needs work. The fact that the Magic allowed an early 10-point Boston Celtics lead and 60 percent shooting from the field largely contributed to the Magic’s 109-106 road loss, says Sentinel Magic reporter Josh Robbins.

That certainly can’t happen against a team like Boston, which has four players (Shaquille O’Neal, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce) with 20,000 plus career points.

On another completely different, yet interesting note… Charles Barkley gave his opinion on who is the best point guard in the NBA so far and the popular Chris Paul wasn’t No. 1 or even No. 2.

“Derrick Rose is the new pest point guard in the NBA,” Barkley said. “Chris Paul is No. 3, I hate to say it, Deron Williams I love you, but Derrick Rose is the best point guard in the NBA right now.”

Rose, though, isn’t better on paper than Paul and Williams yet. Paul currently averages the third highest total assists in the NBA (9.6 apg) and that’s one spot above Williams, who averages 9.4. Rajon Rondo leads the NBA with 13.4 apg followed by Steve Nash (10.8).

Rose averages 8.1 apg, but the more telling statistic is turnovers. Rose collected 140 turnovers so far — more than any of the above mentioned guards.

Derrick Rose has potential to be the best point guard in the NBA one day, but not today.